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Friday, April 22, 2016

The Huntsman: Winter's War Review Serving as both a prequel and sequel to Snow White and the Huntsman, The Huntsman: Winter’s War isn’t engaging enough for fantasy or action fans to enjoy and isn’t kid-friendly enough for families, despite its shameless poaching of the female protagonists of Disney’s Frozen and Pixar’s Brave.

The story chronicles how the titular huntsman Eric (Chris Hemsworth) and his future wife Sara (Jessica Chastain) were raised in the kingdom ruled by snow queen Freya (Emily Blunt) – kid sister to the original film’s mirror-obsessed Ravenna (Charlize Theron) – who, as a survivor of unthinkable heartbreak, has one big rule all her “children” must obey: do not love. Ever. As you can imagine that isn’t a practical rule to adhere to let alone implement.

Long story short, Freya’s reign threatens Snow White’s kingdom and it’s up to Eric, Sara, and their companions to stop her. And although her role is smaller here than in the original film, Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) returns to both aid and manipulate her youngster sister Freya.

If Blunt’s sympathetic villainess Freya was any more like snow queen Elsa she’d burst into “Let it Go,” while Chastain’s heroine Sara is a curly redhead with masterful archery skills and a Scottish accent. (A really bad, distracting one at that unlike her clear inspiration, Brave’s Merida. Chastain acquits herself better in the film's action scenes.)

Blunt gives the role of Freya her all, striking a good balance between the character’s vulnerability and her chilling (pun intended) conviction. The movie rouses to life whenever she and/or Theron are onscreen. It merely exists whenever they aren’t.

Despite a pained expression that screams “They exercised the sequel clause in my contract!,” Theron nevertheless manages to deliver a big serving of Understated Camp here, an acting feat worthy of Max von Sydow or Christopher Lee in their prime. She knows she's over the top, but is too professional to be obnoxious about it.

Chris Hemsworth's Eric is all over the map, a self-effacing dimwit one moment, a serious badass warrior with an inspiring speech the next. For example, he's just found out the love of his life is still alive -- and his instinct is to be glib?! Why? What instinct would he ever really have to be cute about it?! I don’t recall Eric being this dumb in the original movie but perhaps he was.

There might not be Seven Dwarves this time around, but the four this sequel does include play the comic relief. Nick Frost's Nion is the only dwarf from the original to return, and he’s joined by his brother Gryff (Rob Brydon) and two females, Mrs. Bromwyn (Sheridan Smith) and Doreena (Alexandra Roache). Their gags and interactions are all predictable, but this quartet of actors do what they can to sell it.

Whither Kristen Stewart’s Snow White? She’s glimpsed oh so briefly in an opening montage, and is then oft-mentioned but never really seen (save for a body double in one shot). There’s a lame subplot about Snow White being unwell, but then all of that just disappears from the story. The first film’s Sam Claflin rides in for one scene of exposition, serving whatever function that may have been intended as a cameo by Stewart. (And for no apparent reason than to perhaps make some viewers think they’re watching a Narnia movie instead, The Huntsman: Winter’s War is narrated by the voice of Aslan himself, Liam Neeson.)

Visual effects artist Cedric Nicolas-Troyan makes his directing debut here, and he's at least made a good-looking movie that feels a bit more tactile than even the original did. Hopefully, his next film will offer him a better script to shoot.